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Archive for November 28th, 2010

During the 4th lunar week of Astaroth I fasted and prayed god Ashruth. I was the agent for the king and he had entrusted me to fill his coffers with gold. I wanted the god to send a sign whether my business ventures on behalf of my royal master would prosper. I heard nothing and even while the King’s soldiers rounded up my family for failing to meet his expectations the god held his silence. My wife and son were sold into slavery.
I wanted to marry again but the girl who was pledged to me married another since she did not hear from me for long. To be fair to her she had given an ultimatum to fix a day. But I missed it also as I was frantically waiting for my astrologer to show a sign I was doing the right thing. The astrologer was busy and he sent word that he was entrusted with the king’s horoscope and it was much more serious than mine.
Thereafter a matter very delicate came up for which I had to meet my father who lived very far and one month ride from the capital. But he was to my utter disappointment away urgently as he had taken a vow and was doing penance to ward off some evil. As I returned to the capital I heard the king had spread dragnet to bring me to him. So in panic I sought my close friend to hide me. Oh no my friend who swore eternal friendship had to go and marry and take his bride to some pleasure gardens in the east. As I stood there stunned I only wished out of so many people whom were all my acquaintances and under obligation, I could get one when I really needed hearing. No, no one was there to talk to. It was thus the king’s soldiers found me, a picture of woe. I said,’All my friends and kinsmen are out of reach whenever my soul needs a patient hearing. Can you at least pretend you didn’t find me?’
They stamped their feet in fury and showed in signs they were deaf and dumb by King’s order. Thus it was I hauled before the king. He astounded me by leading by the hand and said,’ The Queen says she was pledged to you before I married her. Will you take her back if I release her? ‘
It made me wonder if it were some kind of a joke. He said,’She is a chatterbox who shall drive me to my early grave. Take her and rid me of this plague.’
Suddenly I pleaded that I was suffering from some curse that the child who is born to me would be the king. I fell prostrate at his feet and said,’I would rather see you on the throne than my son as a threat to you.’
The king felt glad and raised me up. He ordered his treasurer to give me a chest full of silver and live in his realm peacefully. ‘Only condition is that let me know if you ever intend to marry.’ What with the queen sent away in royal displeasure I vowed not to marry ever.
Shortly thereafter my father came to me and he said that he he had been very much worried for my sake. It struck me then why I could not find him when I needed his advice.
One fine morning King of Babylon came with a fine army and mowed down the King and his royal household. He put his adopted son to rule over the kingdom. Only later I realized that he was none other than my own son. While my son and wife were slaves she was picked out and had become the Queen of Babylon. When my bosom friend came back from his travels he came directly to share my good fortune. ‘Yes you might say it is a stroke of good fortune. With the king for a son who cries over the loss of his mother?’
Later I asked the god why he didn’t answer my prayer in the first place. In my dream that night Ashruth the bullhead said,’Had I told you it all beforehand you would have messed it up.’
Next day I took the image of Ashruth and threw it into the river. ‘ If a god has no faith in his devotee why have a god in the first place?’
benny